docs/publicity/announce.txt

   1 Announcing wxWidgets 2.7.0: a cross-platform GUI toolkit
   2 ----------------------------------------------------------------
   3
   4 August 5th, 2006 -- the wxWidgets team is pleased to announce
   5 a new release of the mature cross-platform C++ application framework.
   6
   7 The following platforms are supported:
   8
   9 - Windows 95/98/ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP
  10 - Windows 64 on Itanium and x86-64 architectures
  11 - Windows CE, including Pocket PC 2003 and Smartphone 2003
  12 - Unix (Linux, *BSD, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, IRIX, Tru64) and VMS with GTK+
  13 - Unix with X11 (beta)
  14 - Unix with Motif/Lesstif
  15 - Mac OS X using Carbon
  16 - Mac OS X using Cocoa (beta)
  17 - OS/2 (beta)
  18 - MGL for Linux and DOS
  19 - Palm OS (alpha)
  20
  21 To get wxWidgets, please go to the Download page at:
  22
  23   http://www.wxwidgets.org/
  24
  25 This is the first version in the new 2.7 series. Please notice
  26 that this series is called "development" and not "stable" solely
  27 because compatibility is not assured among between different 2.7
  28 series versions but there are no known issues with the stability
  29 of the programs using this version.
  30
  31 There have been many changes since the 2.6 series, please see the
  32 change log file included in the distribution for more details. The
  33 most significant additions to the GUI part of the libraries were:
  34
  35     - AUI (advanced user interface) library providing dockable
  36       windows and much more
  37     - richtext library implementing wxRichTextCtrl
  38     - New wxComboCtrl and wxOwnerDrawnComboBox controls
  39     - New wxTreebook book-like control
  40     - New wxColour/Dir/File/Font/PickerCtrls
  41     - wxHyperlinkCtrl control
  42
  43
  44 *** About wxWidgets
  45
  46 wxWidgets is a comprehensive open-source, multi-platform C++ GUI
  47 framework, that can be used to build commercial and free
  48 software. First released in 1992 under the name wxWindows, it's
  49 increasingly used by organisations and individuals all over the
  50 world due to its winning combination of sophistication, wide
  51 platform coverage, ease of use, unrestrictive licence and
  52 vibrant user community.
  53
  54 For most ports, wxWidgets adopts the native look and feel of
  55 each platform since it uses the native widget sets. There is also
  56 a generic widget set, used for example by the wxX11 port - no
  57 other widget set is required, giving the potential for embedded
  58 use.
  59
  60 An extraordinary range of classes is provided - but don't be put
  61 off by this because most people find wxWidgets easier to learn
  62 and use than MFC and other frameworks.
  63
  64 As well as comprehensive support for the usual widgets, advanced
  65 features include: HTML viewing/printing, wxImage class providing
  66 handlers for reading and writing many image types, resizeable panels
  67 and dialogs on all platforms, document/view, OpenGL support,
  68 HTML-based and context-sensitive help, wizards, drag and drop,
  69 a grid class, ODBC support, threads, sockets, container classes,
  70 a styled text control, and much more. A 2,000-page reference manual
  71 is provided in HTML, MS HTML Help, WinHelp, wxWidgets Help and PDF
  72 formats, and there are over eighty samples and demos.
  73
  74 If you're an MFC user, you'll find many wxWidgets concepts
  75 reassuringly familiar, while often clearer and more consistent.
  76 If you're not, you should still find it intuitive from the start.
  77
  78 wxWidgets bindings for many other languages are available,
  79 including Python, Perl, Basic, Lua, JavaScript and Eiffel.
  80
  81 If you're considering wxWidgets, do check out some of these links:
  82
  83     http://www.wxwidgets.org/about/feedback.htm ; Comments from users
  84     http://www.wxwidgets.org/about/screensh.htm ; Screenshots
  85     http://www.wxwidgets.org/about/users.htm    ; Some of our users
  86
  87 Have fun!
  88
  89 The wxWidgets team
  90